Friday, February 9, 2018

Woman attacked by Reagan Tokes' alleged killer in 2010 speaks out



Although the Sheila Merwin is a death penalty opponent, she conceded that Brian Golsby deserves to die for the crime. She is similar to Alan Dershowitz who despite being a staunch death penalty opponent, felt that the Boston Bomber deserved to die too. 


Regan Tokes
(March 13, 1995 to February 9, 2017)


Woman attacked by Reagan Tokes' alleged killer in 2010 speaks out
Published: 02/13/17 05:30 pm EST
Updated: 03/15/17 07:29 pm EDT
GROVE CITY, Ohio

Sheila Merwin has a folder that is growing. Inside she tracks each time the man who threatened her and robbed her is mentioned in court or media.

She said this weekend as Grove City Police announced Brian Golsby was behind bars for the robbery, rape and murder of Ohio State student Reagan Tokes, Sheila shuddered.

"It's all been very hard. I'd especially been praying for Reagan and her family. I can't imagine what they've suffered through," said Sheila Merwin.

She said just before Golsby was released last November she received a piece of mail alerting her. Sheila said she continued to lock her doors and only get her mail during daylight hours, but she did not drastically change habits because she hoped Golsby's time in prison had turned his ways.

As word broke that the missing Ohio State senior who was majoring and psychology and active in her church was found dead in Grove City, Merwin's heart sank.

"I hate the death penalty but maybe that's right in this case," Merwin said.

She said she now believes she and another victim did not see complete justice in the sentence Golsby received in their cases.

In 2010 Golsby was in court for threatening Merwin by squeezing her throat and robbing her as well as for crimes committed against a second woman who lived nearby. That young mother was held at knife point and forced to drive to an ATM, withdraw money and was raped, all in front of her 2-year-old child, according to police documents.

"He had actually physically and sexually attacked her, with her son there," Merwin said. "That was the part I just couldn't get over. She and her son had been through so much."

Both women were in court as Golsby was set to answer to 10 counts. It did not go to a jury trial. In a plea deal with the prosecutor, Golsby pled guilty to robbery and attempted rape.

Franklin County Prosecutor Ron O'Brien said there were issues with the case should it move to a jury trial and both victims agreed to the six-year sentence before it was signed.

Merwin said knowing a young woman lost her life only three months after Golsby's release, she wishes he were given a much longer term behind bars.

"I certainly wish that he had gotten a much longer sentence," she said.
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A service for Reagan (pictured) has been planned at Maumee United Methodist Tuesday and Wednesday. Her family now hopes to create a scholarship in her name


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